Sylvester Stallone returns to painting after 'Tulsa King' and memoir

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Sylvester Stallone returns to painting after 'Tulsa King' and memoir

Synopsis

Between filming Tulsa King and wrapping his memoir, Sylvester Stallone found his way back to the canvas — and his new painting, boxing gloves and all, says everything about where his head is. With a fourth Tulsa King season and a Samuel L. Jackson spin-off both ordered, the 'Rocky' legend is nowhere near done.

Key Takeaways

Sylvester Stallone returned to painting after a hectic summer working on Tulsa King and his memoir.
His new artwork, shared on Instagram , features two figures in boxing gloves with the phrase 'It ain't about how hard you can hit.' Tulsa King , which debuted in 2022 , has been renewed for a fourth season .
A spin-off series, Frisco King , starring Samuel L.
Jackson , has also been ordered.
Stallone's breakthrough came with the 1976 blockbuster Rocky , which he wrote and starred in.

Sylvester Stallone has returned to his art studio after a demanding summer split between filming the upcoming season of Tulsa King and completing his memoir. The Hollywood action legend shared the update on Instagram, posting a glimpse of a new painting that depicts two figures in boxing gloves, inscribed with the phrase 'It ain't about how hard you can hit.'

Back in the Studio

'It's been a busy summer with Tulsa King and finishing my memoir, so I haven't had much time to paint. I finally got back in my studio and started working on some new pieces. Feels good to be painting again. Keep punching,' Stallone wrote in his caption.

The post offered a rare look at Stallone's parallel creative life — one that exists well outside the action-film universe he helped define over five decades. His artwork often draws from the same world of grit, endurance, and sport that defines his on-screen persona.

What's Ahead for Tulsa King

Tulsa King, which debuted in 2022, stars Stallone as Dwight 'The General' Manfredi, an American Mafia caporegime released from prison in New York and relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he builds a new criminal organisation. The show marked his first leading role in a scripted television series.

The franchise is expanding significantly. A fourth season has been ordered, alongside a spin-off titled Frisco King, which will star Samuel L. Jackson. Both projects are currently in development.

A Career That Defined an Era

Stallone made his screen debut in 1970 with The Party at Kitty and Stud's, taking on uncredited roles in films like Downhill Racer and Bananas before his breakthrough. His mainstream launch came in 1974 with The Lords of Flatbush, but it was the 1976 blockbuster Rocky — which he wrote and starred in — that established him as a global icon.

He subsequently portrayed the PTSD-affected soldier John Rambo in First Blood, a role he reprised across five Rambo films. From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, Stallone ranked among Hollywood's highest-paid actors, appearing in Cobra, Tango and Cash, Cliffhanger, Demolition Man, and The Specialist, during which his rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger became the stuff of industry legend.

Recent Work and Legacy

Stallone later anchored The Expendables franchise and in 2013 starred in Escape Plan, appearing in its sequels as well. His 2015 return to the Rocky universe in Creed — where a retired Rocky mentors Adonis Creed, the son of his former rival Apollo Creed — was widely praised as one of his finest performances. With Tulsa King expanding and a memoir on the way, Stallone shows no signs of slowing down — on screen or on canvas.

Point of View

But it points to something larger: at this stage of his career, he is actively curating a multi-dimensional public identity — actor, author, artist. The Tulsa King expansion, a memoir, and a return to painting in the same summer suggest a deliberate effort to cement legacy on multiple fronts. For an industry that once typecast him purely as muscle, that is a meaningful shift worth noting.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Sylvester Stallone return to painting?
Stallone returned to painting after a busy summer that kept him away from his studio, primarily due to work on Tulsa King and completing his memoir. He shared the update on Instagram, saying it 'feels good to be painting again.'
What is Tulsa King about?
Tulsa King is a crime drama series that debuted in 2022, in which Stallone plays Dwight 'The General' Manfredi, a Mafia caporegime sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma after his release from prison. It is his first leading role in a scripted television series.
Is Tulsa King getting a new season?
Yes, a fourth season of Tulsa King has been ordered. Additionally, a spin-off series called Frisco King, starring Samuel L. Jackson, is also in development.
What did Stallone's new painting look like?
The painting features two individuals wearing boxing gloves and includes the inscription 'It ain't about how hard you can hit,' a phrase drawn from the Rocky universe.
What is Sylvester Stallone's memoir about?
Stallone has not publicly detailed the full contents of his memoir, but he confirmed in his Instagram post that he spent part of the summer finishing it. No release date has been announced based on available information.
Nation Press
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